Question 1

About the Airport

Accepted Answer

RMMA consists of approximately 1,000 acres of property, including nearly 50 businesses and over 400 based aircraft. Airport users include governmental research and aerial fire-fighting service, aircraft charters, corporate flight departments, aircraft maintenance and repair operations, flight training schools, and private aircraft owners. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Division of Aeronautics has released the findings of the 2025 Colorado Aviation Economic Impact Study (CEIS), highlighting the substantial role of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA) in the state’s economy. The study determined that in 2023, RMMA generated a total economic activity of $1.4 billion, reinforcing its significance as a major contributor to Colorado’s aviation industry. According to the study, RMMA supported 4,969 jobs with a total payroll of $427.5 million and contributed $748.6 million in total added value to the state’s economy. Of the total revenue generated, $1.3 billion came from on-airport business activities, while $122.7 million was driven by visitor spending. As a hub for corporate aviation, aerospace research, flight training, and business operations, RMMA plays a vital role in local and statewide economic growth.

Question 2

What type of airport is RMMA?

Accepted Answer

RMMA is designated as a public-use, general aviation reliever airport within the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.(https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias) The purpose of a reliever airport is to relieve congestion at commercial service airports and to provide more general aviation access to the overall community. Funding for building and maintaining the RMMA airfield comes from Federal grants from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program.(https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip) RMMA also receives funding from the State of Colorado through the Colorado Discretionary Aviation Grant Program.(https://www.codot.gov/programs/aeronautics/programs/AviationGrants)

Question 3

Who owns RMMA?

Accepted Answer

Founded in 1960 as Jeffco Airport, Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport (RMMA) is owned and operated by Jefferson County, Colorado. The airport is a division of the Jeffco Development and Transportation Department and run by a staff of approximately 30 Jefferson County employees responsible for the administration, operation, and maintenance of the airfield. As a self-supporting enterprise fund of Jefferson County, revenue from airport ground-leases and other airport user fees fund the operation and maintenance of the airport.

Question 4

Is there an operations capacity limit at RMMA?

Accepted Answer

The FAA does not set a specific capacity limit at a public-use airport. The number of aircraft operations is constrained by the available runways and airspace/air traffic control capacity.

Question 5

How many runways are there at RMMA?

Accepted Answer

RMMA has three runways:
1. Runway 12L/30R which is 9,000 feet long and 100 feet wide
2. Runway 12R/30L which is 7,002 feet long and 75 feet wide
3. Runway 3/21 which is 3,600 feet long and 75 feet wide

Question 6

How are flight plans determined at RMMA?

Accepted Answer

Arrivals, departures and traffic pattern operations are directed by an FAA Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower and follow internationally standardized traffic pattern procedures. The ATC Tower is in operation from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. When the tower is closed, pilots continue to follow standardized traffic pattern procedures. The standard traffic pattern involves a takeoff, upwind, crosswind, downwind, final and landing. These procedures are standardized for improved safety and traffic flow. The runway in use is chosen by air traffic control based on existing wind conditions. For a demonstration of typical flight procedures at RMMA, please review the following video: Arrival/departure/traffic pattern procedures at RMMA.(https://vimeo.com/697229001/898cef5a98)

When departing the Class D airspace of RMMA, it is ultimately at the pilot’s discretion to determine their route of flight, depending upon their intended destination or objective for the flight. The controlled airspace of Denver to the east and the mountainous terrain to the west can limit routing decisions as compared to some other airports.

Question 7

What are RMMA's hours of flight operations?

Accepted Answer

The FAA has informed RMMA and posted a Notice to Air Missions/Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that, beginning December 28, the air traffic control tower will temporarily operate on an adjusted schedule of 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, representing the tower opening one hour later and closing two hours earlier than normal. The FAA reports this shift allows them to better staff the tower during the busiest daytime hours, improving controller coverage while they work through an extended period of low staffing. FAA leadership expects this modification to remain in place for approximately one year, until new controllers are assigned to manage RMMA’s airspace.

The tower will also begin issuing a daily ATC Zero NOTAM to reflect day-to-day staffing conditions under this temporary schedule. The FAA has reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of the airspace surrounding RMMA and the Airport believes that any change in the name of safety, is a good one.

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